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Mamluks control Red Sea trade

Type Event Region Egypt Time 1281

Around 1281 under Qalawun, the Mamluk Sultanate tightened control of Red Sea ports and routes, securing pilgrimage lanes and boosting Cairo's role as…

Timeline

  1. 1281Cairo · EgyptThrough administrative decrees and tariff systems, Sultan Qalawun brought the main Red Sea ports under direct Mamluk central administration, restricting local powers from levying commercial taxes privately.
  2. 1281Suez · EgyptThe Mamluks deployed patrols along the Suez-to-Jeddah stretch, protecting the northward Red Sea transit of Indian spices and Yemeni goods while ensuring safe passage for Muslim pilgrimage fleets.

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